President Trump’s new 300 billion dollar tariff on trade with China provides an exception for bibles, but taxes rosaries and material items of devotion.
On Wednesday, the Office of the United States Trade Representative announced Trump’s new 300 billion dollar trade plan with China would include a 10% tax on rosaries and other physical items of devotion:
7117.90.20 Rosaries and chaplets of a purely devotional character for personal use, of a material o/than prec. or base metals, nesoi
7117.90.30 Religious articles of a purely devotional character designed to be carried on the person, nesoi
Bibles were excluded from the trade action list “based on health, safety, national security, and other factors.”
4901.99.00 Printed books, brochures, leaflets and similar printed matter, other than in single sheets Except for:
4901.99.0040 – Bibles, testaments, prayer books and other religious books
A spokesman from the Office of the United States Trade Representative confirmed the exclusion was intentional.
“Bibles and other religious literature are among the items removed from the tariff list and will not face additional tariffs of 10 percent.”
The 10% tax goes into effect September 1st barring an exception on the tariff list.
